Equipment

While your team is fielding you will wear a glove on your non-throwing hand. Your glove should be comfortable and flexible. A leather glove is best. The glove is designed to protect your hand and fingers, and to make it easier for you to catch the ball.

The catcher and the first base player are each allowed to wear a mitt, because they catch more balls more often. A mitt is a special glove with an enlarged pocket that makes catching the ball a little easier.

The softball is made of rubber or leather on the outside and cork on the inside.

A small, aluminum bat is ideal for a junior player. Usually about 28 inches long and about 1 1/2 pounds in weight. For safety the batter, base-runners, and catcher must wear a helmet.

The bases at first, second, and third are white, fifteen inches long on each slide, made from canvas filled with thick sponge not more than five inches thick, and are security fastened to the ground.

In recreation softball, a douple-base is often used to mark first base. It is fastened to the ground so that half of it is in fair territory and half is in foul territory. Half is white and the other half is a color.

Home plate is also white and fastened to the ground, but it is usually made from rubber.

The pitchers plate is usually made from rubber as well.

	The basic softball uniform consists of shorts style pants (baggy pants that stop just below the knee), a shirt in team colors, and three-quarter length
	socks, stirrup socks without a heel or toe are worn over the socks are worn over the socks to help protect the shins and ankles. Leather softball sneakers with rubber cleats provide added grip when batting, base-running, and fielding. A helmet must be worn when batting, base-running, and catching.

The catcher plays in a difficult position. She stands close behind the batter to receive the pitches. The catcher wears a protective chest plate, as well as leg and ankle protectors. The helmet also has a face mask and a throat protector.